The thief and the transporter
by Madhumalati
Summary: Crossover with Get Backers. The title says it all.....


Summary: the title says it all, ne?

**_The Thief and the Transporter:_**

A Get Backers/Teen Titans crossover.

A side-story to Unexpected Alliances, but it can be read independently. No background required for either series, though there are some references to TT.

Akabane Kuroudo glided through the streets of Jump City, cursing the foul weather. At least, in Tokyo, he had a café to go to when it rained, or a couple of retrievers to harrass; hotel rooms were simply too depressing. He fingered the small diskette in his coat pocket and tipped his ever-present hat lower to shield him from the downpour.

'Are you the transporter?'

A voice. Akabane looked up, his pale violet eyes fixing on a man who wore a mask on his face, half iron and half wood. His body was covered with a tight suit of armour, and Akabane's trained eye could see the various weapons hidden all over him. The man was better stocked than the average arsenal.

The other man regarded the transporter as well. A dark formal suit with a long loose coat; hat worn low over a pale face and long dark hair. His pose was graceful, almost effeminate, and he looked delicate, but the potential deadliness of the man surrounded him tangibly, like another garment.

'I am,' Akabane said. 'Are you the client? Please give me the password if you are.'

'My name is Slade. I need no password.'

'That is correct,' the transporter said, handing the disk over. Slade pulled out a palmtop and checked the contents quickly.

'You work fast,' he said, the slightest tinge of respect in his voice. 'Most people would have taken a few days more at least to bring this in.'

'I am the best,' Akabane said without any modesty. 'I expect adequate recompensation, of course. I rarely work outside my country. It's simply not fun.'

'Of course,' Slade agreed. A thought seemed to strike him. 'Would you care for a cup of something hot before your return journey?'

'You surprise me, Mr. Wilson,' Akabane purred. 'I was unaware that hospitality was extended even to our kind in America.'

'Japan is not the only country that prizes courtesy, Akabane-san,' Slade returned.

Which was how Akabane found himself in one of Slade's hideouts a few minutes later, sitting in a comfortable chair, sipping a cup of hot coffee. He really didn't like the way tea, his preferred drink, tasted here.

'I have an offer to make, Akabane-san,' Slade said, leaning forward slightly from his armchair. Akabane tilted his head, listening.

'You may have heard that a conglomerate of supervillains is being formed?'

The Jackal dipped his head in acknowledgment. He had, and he was interested.

'As a member, I would like to extend an offer to join the club.'

'I'm flattered,' Akabane purred, a slight smile curving his mouth. (A/N: so, so, so sexy. I need smelling salts) 'I had heard that membership is quite exclusive.'

'It is,' Slade said. 'However, I have been studying you for several months and I believe that you are well within the qualifying criteria.'

'So it was you who sent that……Mammoth……after me a month ago? I wondered who had done that.'

'Ah, yes,' Slade said, an affable smile behind the mask. 'I wish you hadn't carved him up so badly, the hospital bills were rather large.'

'I hadn't had any coffee that morning,' Akabane shrugged apologetically. 'Tell me, who else has joined so far?'

'Lex Luthor, for one. Jeremias Surd is considering, Catwoman's accepted and so have Dark Kat, Magneto and Mystique. I've yet to contact a few others I have in mind.'

'Interesting. May I enquire whose idea this was?'

'A new supervillain. He goes by the name of Sesshoumaru. If my sources are to be believed, he's a time traveller.'

'A time traveller? Like Wasp, you mean? Well, well.'

'Oh, so you've met Wasp, have you? How did he strike you?'

'He didn't. I struck him first.' Akabane smirked. 'Let's just say that he won't lack for ventilation anytime soon. In fact, he can breathe directly from his lungs if he chooses. Although when I left him, he wasn't breathing at all. A pity, since I'd really only made it easy for him.'

'I wondered where he'd vanished to,' Slade commented. 'So will you be joining our little group?'

'Has anyone refused so far?'

'One.' Slade didn't look at all fazed by the question. Then again, he was wearing a mask, so he didn't look at all like anything. 'Raven.'

'Of the Titans?' Akabane's eybrows rose. 'My, my. Who invited _her_?'

'The founder. I was surprised that he had. Though not so surprised that she refused.'

'I'm interested,' Akabane said lightly. 'But as I said, I don't travel much. Then again, pay me enough and I wouldn't mind. I'm fairly flexible.'

'Oh, it would be well worth your time, I assure you. And there aren't any obligations. All contracts are between individuals, no long-term contracts are permitted and acceptance is strictly voluntary.'

'My kind of organisation,' Akabane purred. 'Very well, Mr. Wilson, I accept. You may sign me up as a member.'

Slade's voice indicated his grin. 'I already have.'

'Strange. I didn't think I was that predictable.'

'I have no doubts of your unpredictability,' Slade said. 'I based my belief on your intelligence.'

Akabane stood and glided towards the exit. Slade stood as well. 'Well, then, you weren't disappointed, were you? This should be quite……entertaining.'

Akabane paused, his hand on the door's handle, when Slade said, 'That's what _he_ said.'

'Who?'

'The founder. Sesshoumaru. He used the same words.'

'Mmm. I must meet him sometime, then. I'm sure he's entertaining as well.'

The transporter wasn't all that surprised when the small bug he'd taken the liberty of leaving behind was crushed immediately after he left.

'Yes, this is going to be so much fun,' Akabane mused meditatively as he melted into the night.

A/N: those two in partnership? The world is in terrible danger.


End file.
